Slow travel prioritises depth over distance, encouraging more meaningful, responsible and fulfilling experiences beyond ticking countries off a list. (Image by Kzenon)
As travellers, we certainly would love to see as much as we can of this green earth in our lifetime. However, moving from country to country and spending minimal time at each destination just for the bragging rights of having set foot there is not without consequences.
In fact, modern travel can take an emotional, psychological, and financial toll, while its environmental impact often goes unnoticed. As such, it’s time we confront some harsh truths about country collecting and reconsider the value of slow, intentional travel.
Is it a sense of adventure or FOMO?
As an adventurous soul, chances are your social media feed is flooded with viral travel content daily. Alongside carefully curated and beautifully edited Reels by influencers that glamorise the globe-trotting lifestyle, you’re likely seeing photos and videos from friends and family ticking countries off their lists.
It’s hard not to feel a strong sense of FOMO—fear of missing out—when it seems as if everyone else is constantly on the move. But while social media can be a great source of inspiration, it shouldn’t drive anxiety or dictate how you travel.
So, rather than chasing numbers, build your travel plans around your own curiosity and sense of wonder.
Travel experiences cannot and should not be quantified
Country collecting prioritises quantity over quality. What this often leads to are rushed, surface-level, by-the-numbers experiences, instead of fully immersing yourself and enjoying a new culture.
In reality, the number of countries, regions, or attractions you’ve visited matters far less than the depth and breadth of experience you gain. Anyone with time and money can move quickly between destinations and see their many landmarks, but that doesn’t translate to understanding and connection. These surface-level visits won’t make you a travel expert, nor do they offer a lot of rewarding moments. Not to mention, the stress of a packed itinerary can diminish the joy of travelling altogether.
True joys are often found off the beaten path, away from the crowds, where authentic connections, discoveries, and memories are made. These are experiences that can’t simply be replicated through guidebooks alone, whether it’s being welcomed into a local’s home, tasting a lesser-known regional cuisine or observing everyday life in a new city. That makes it worth your while.
Not all trips are worth making
As enjoyable as travel may be, there are some harsh truths we need to acknowledge. Namely, being able to travel is a privilege not afforded to many. In fact, the vast majority of people in the world cannot afford to travel due to finances, weak passports, and political situations in their homeland.
Then there’s the often-overlooked environmental impact. Air travel remains one of the largest contributors to an individual’s carbon footprint, alongside driving cars, shopping, and other everyday consumption habits.
Tourism can also extract value from local communities by commodifying cultures while giving little to nothing in return. Overtourism drives up local living costs and may contribute – sometimes unknowingly – to human rights abuses and other harmful practices. For instance, a visit to a rural village may be a fascinating cultural experience for a visitor, but the impoverished living conditions with no proper sanitation and access to healthcare are a daily reality for locals who live there.
Make every trip matter to you
Knowing this, how can we travel better?
The simplest solution is to plan your trips intentionally, opting for slower, more conscious travel. That means go where your curiosity leads you, not what’s trending online. Plan longer stays with shorter itineraries, or make short trips that centre around a specific activity instead of a checklist of attractions to see on a tight schedule. With a limited itinerary, allow yourself sufficient time at a destination to soak in your surroundings and discover things on your own.
When booking tours, be mindful of ways you can support the local economies and stay away from exploitative activities that harm locals, animals and the environment. Be critical, too, of where you seek inspiration online. Follow voices and social media accounts that promote sensible, respectful travel, and reflect those values in your own journeys.
At the end of the day, country collecting is just a form of social scorekeeping that misses the entire point of travel as a deeply personal and enriching activity. Most of us are not going to achieve the goal of visiting every country in the world— and we don’t need to. What matters more is how you experience the places you do go, and the meaning you carry home with you.
